Nigeria: facts and figures

Size: 357,000 square miles, twice the size of CaliforniaPopulation: 98 million and growing by 3% a year Estimated to reach 200 million by 2025. Divided into more than 250 ethnic groupsGovernment: Independent since 1960, ruled by successive military regimesGNP per capita: 250 ecu (1993)Exports: 9.5 billion ecu (1993), of which 90% is petrolDebt: 29.4% of Nigeria’s export earnings goes to pay interest on the country’s foreign debtEU-Nigeria relations:

European Voice

11/15/95, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 12:48 AM CET

1975: First Lomé Convention signed. Nigeria is one of original members. Since then it has been allocated more than 1 billion ecu, two-thirds in grants and the rest in loans1993: General Sani Abacha seizes power after the army annuls presidential elections. EU suspends military cooperation with Lagos and reviews export licences for defence equipment, bans high-level visits to and from Nigeria, puts visa restrictions on military members of the Abacha government. EIB stops lending money to Nigeria because it has not repaid its debts1994: EU alters its aid policy to allow money to go through non-governmental organisations only, and not through the government12 November 1995: Commission suspends development aid to Nigeria14 November 1995: EU’s Africa Working Group recommends banning arms sales to Nigeria and extending visa requirements to civilian members ofthe government and their families